5 Years for Playing Online Poker?

5 years in slammer seems a bit too much punishment for simply playing online poker, isn’t it?

The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act proposes to make it illegal for Americans to use the Internet for gambling and would authorize law enforcement officials to stop credit card payments and other forms of electronic payments. Violators would be subject to up to five years in prison.

The Wire Act, federal law, passed in the early 1960s, prohibits making gambling wagers over the telephone. It is not legally clear if the Wire Act actually applies to the Internet. The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act proposes to make the ban explicitly applicable to internet too.

The act has a reasonable chance of passing this time.

At the least I am hoping to see a massive reduction of party-poker spams in the inbox.

via InternetNews